In an time where fighters have been caught trying to gain an edge by taking performance-enhancing drugs, Donaire is the only fighter signed with VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association), which calls for random urine and blood testing, seven days a week, year-round.

“You never know when they’ll come in,” Donaire said earlier this year. “I really believe in it (the testing). It’s good for boxing … it’s random so you really can’t hide anything at all.”

Brandon Rios TKO 7 Mike Alvarado – From the opening bell Rios and Alvarado had the crowd at the Home Depot Center buzzing. The fight, which both fighters agreed wouldn’t go the distance, lived up the intense hype as they engaged in a full-out brawl. In the end, Rios emerged victorious, getting the stoppage in the seventh round. There are talks of a Rios-Alvarado II, but it could it possible top the first?

Knockout of the Year

Juan Manuel Marquez – Marquez went into his fourth fight with Manny Pacquiao thinking he needed to take the fight out of the judges’ hand. He did that in impressive fashion, Dec. 8. Marquez’s right hand in the sixth round ended the fight, sending Pacquiao to the mat, face first. It was the perfect ending for Marquez, who believed he had lost three extremely close decisions to Pacquiao.

Trainer of the Year

Robert Garcia – The Oxnard-based Garcia had a busy year, but in the end, his fighters had a successful one, making him the easy pick. Aside from the work of Donaire and Rios, Garcia also helped revitalize the careers of Kelly Pavlik and Marcos Maidana. Garcia also trains his younger brother Mikey Garcia, who went 3-0 and moved into contention for a featherweight title fight in January.

Upset of the year

Josesito Lopez over Victor Ortiz - Lopez was a late replacement to face Victor Ortiz in June. He was supposed to be just a fill-in, as Ortiz had a September date with Canelo Alvarez scheduled. Ortiz-Alvarez never happened, thanks to Lopez. Fueling off that motivation, Lopez took advantage of his “Rocky” moment, breaking Ortiz’s jaw in the ninth round. Ortiz wasn’t able to continue and Lopez left as the winner.

Prospect(s) of the year

Could there some bright spots in the heavyweight division in the Unites States? If 2012 is any indication, then yes. Bryant Jennings (16-0, eight KOs) went 5-0 in 2012 and has quickly moved up the rankings. Deontay Wilder (26-0, 26 KOs) won all six of his fights in 2012, ending with a devastating third-round KO of Kelvin Price, Dec. 15 at the Sports Arena.

Comeback of the year

There were fighters this year that came back from losses in the ring, but none faced the opponent that Danny Jacobs (24-1, 21 KOs) did. Jacobs had his career interrupted in 2011 when he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on his spine. He was told he probably wouldn’t walk, let alone return to the ring. Jacobs made his return to the ring in October with a first-round TKO victory over Josh Luteran and in December he stopped Chris Fitzpatrick in the fifth round.